"Reflections of a Legend" Julio Cesar Chavez

"Reflections of a Legend" Julio Cesar Chavez by Adam Molinar 

By Randy De La O

A moving memory and tribute to one of the all time great fighters, not just a great Mexican fighter, but an all time great period.

I remember those days when Chavez was young and in his prime. My house was always full, the food was plenty and the beer was flowing on a Julio Cesar Chavez fight night. If you are a boxing fan, and Mexican American or Mexican, Chavez gave you a reason to stand a little taller. This man carried our pride on his shoulders.

It did not last forever. The first sign that the end was nearing was the draw with Pernell Whitaker. I can say now what I could not say back then. Whitaker should have got the "W". Next a loss to Frankie Randall. Without recounting his entire career Chavez had more victories and more losses ahead of him.

There is no shame in that. This is the way it is with all men. With women it is their beauty that fades. With men it is our strength, our fighting prowess and courage, that we want to last forever. It doesn't. Boxing is a microcosm of life. Nothing lasts forever, not even the greatest of fighters. The end always comes, regardless.

In his prime Julio Cesar Chavez was a man to be reckoned with. He was a champion for the ages. It was enough.

A Deleted Scene From Rocky 1976

Click Photo For a Larger View

My thanks to my friend Rene Ramirez for finding this photo of a deleted scene from the 1976 movie "Rocky". The scene was filmed at the Main Street Gym in Downtown Los Angeles. I just saw this for the first time a few days ago. I'm on the left in white trunks and wearing hand wraps. The older man in the white shirt is my late manager/trainer Mel Epstein.Just to the front of me is Boxer Monroe Brookes. In the center of the photo is actor Stan Shaw. On the right is Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed.

This was almost 40 years ago. Time flies when you're having fun! I have a lot great memories of those days and the filming of Rocky was one of the best! Thank you Rene Ramirez!

There are a few more photos on this website. I'm in a few of them if you look closely. The website explains the scene. http://theeditroomfloor.blogspot.com/…/lost-scenes-of-rocky…

Addendum: I am 99.9 % certain that the big bare chested guy in the back row is heavyweight boxer Bernardo Mercado.

Classic Photo: Ken Norton vs Muhammad Ali

Ken Norton ad Muhammad Ali, I'm not 100% certain but I believe this is from their first fight at the Sports Arena in San Diego, California.

This Ken Norton autographed photo was a Christmas gift back in 2009-2010 (?) by my pal Scott Gombrich, one of the truly great and long lasting friends to come out of my years with McDonnell Douglas and Boeing. Much appreciated!

Old School Boxing Photograph

I don't think I have ever seen a photo that captures the essence of boxing quite the same way this old photograph does. I don't know who the fighters are or what year this fight took place. I'm guessing sometime in the 1920's or possibly the early 1930's. This looks to be a small club, possibly an athletic club, the type that were popular in the early days of boxing.

You get the feeling that both fighters have been to hell and back in this fight. The fighter on the left waiting with brutal anticipation for his opponent to get up off the ring floor. The fighter on the floor looks like he hasn't quite made up his mind yet. If ever a photograph captured the words "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" this is it. I love this photo.

This photo was given to me by my brother Dennis for Christmas of 2013, along with some heartfelt words. He bought it years ago at an antique store and had it hanging in his home but wanted me to have it. It was truly appreciated.

If anyone recognizes these fighters, let me know!

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao

(Please excuse these late comments of the Maweather vs Pacquiao fight. I have been sick.)

Several years ago, my mother, my wife Jeri and I went to a new BBQ joint in the high desert off the 15 freeway in Hesperia. The owner of the place stopped by our table to talk with us. He was a very nice guy. He proceeded to tell us we were going to his love his BBQ. It was the best in the United States. He went on and on about it. We hung on to his every word. We believed him. How lucky were we to have stopped in here. We were sufficiently excited and could not wait for our order. The prices were a bit high but good BBQ, is worth it. We waited, enjoying our iced tea and lemonade and eventually our order came.

Boy, were we ever gullible. Now, if the man had never said a word, we might have been semi content with what I feel was below standard BBQ, but after being sold a bill of goods (hype) proclaiming it as the best BBQ in the country, it was suddenly inedible. In a nutshell it was lousy. The place was out of business a few months later.

Well, that about sums up the fight. If it had not been billed as the “Fight of the Century” or if the fighters were not paid unprecedented millions, or if we were not asked to pay a higher PPV bill, or wait so long for the fight, we might have been able to see it as a regular good fight but juxtaposed against the mega hype, it was a lousy fight.

As far as I'm concerned the fight went the only way it could. Though I would have liked to seen Floyd Mayweather engage in a war, Manny Pacquiao never gave him cause to.

There was no high drama, no moment to look back at with excitement. There was nothing in this so called “Fight of the Century” to define the fight game for a new generations of boxing fans.

As for Pacquiao's surprising claim that he thought he won the fight. I'm not going to hate on him. No champion has been more gracious in victory or (in past losses) humble in defeat. He is allowed, or more to the point, deserves, a human moment. It's hard for an aggressive close up fighter to always see accurately what just took place. He isn't the first and he won't be the last to feel this way. It's that same tenacity and pride that takes a man to the pinnacle of his game that makes it hard to accept the losses later in his career, and like it or not, this is later in his career. What I don't accept are the claims of a shoulder injury. This was a “No Excuses” fight.

I cannot imagine any reason for a rematch but keep this in mind, “Screw me once, shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me”. I ordered the fight at the last minute but I will not pay 10 cents to see them fight again.

The real shame in all of this is that 5 years ago this actually might have been one of the great ones. It didn't happen and that as they say, is that.

A Night at the Fights

My wife Jeri and I at the Syubhub Center

Stubhub Center

Carson, California

April 16, 2015

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr vs Andrzej Fonfara

The less said about this fight the better. I mentioned yesterday that Chavez Sr looked preoccupied and sad. Now I know why. His spoiled brat of a son Julio Jr did not train for this fight. I'm not advocating physical punishment but I hope after the fight on the way back to the dressing room Papa Chavez gave Jr. a swift kick in the ass, followed by a good spanking with a thick leather belt.

I don't know what the fight looked like on television but live it was easy to see that this guy, Andrzej Fonfara, came to win. He was unintimidated, confident and he could fight. Chavez was in trouble. Later in the fight when Chavez was mugging and clowning my wife asked me, "Why is he doing that?" Because he's getting tired and buying time".

In Andrzej Fonfara, Julio met someone that refused to lose and he was unable to cope with it. It's tough enough when you are in shape but Chavez looked soft last night. The knockdown in the 9th round took the fight out of Junior, took away his will. He chose to sit on his stool and not come out for the 10th round.

When Junior was knocked down the crowd seemed to desert him and cheered Fonfara. They deserted Chavez. I can't say I blame them.

As soon as the fight was over, it was shades of the Olympic Auditorium as beer cans, cups, food and what ever began flying everywhere I said to my wife "Let's get out of here now". Most of the "normal" people left but I looked back and the beer was getting thick in the air. I felt for those that were sitting in the lower seats. there was no escaping it.

Abie Han vs Fernando Guerrero

I didn't take pen and paper and score the fight round by round. I wanted to just sit and enjoy the fight. It was a good entertaining fight too.Now let me say this first, my wife Jeri and I went there to see Abie Han fight, we like him, so I may be a little biased but I believe I can watch a fight objectively and give a fair opinion.

Han came out and immediately established the distance between him and Guerrero. he controlled the tempo of the fight and was jabbing well and positioning himself for the left hook to the body. Guerrero was quick and moved well and at times was able to get inside and land some shots to Han's body as well. Guerrero was knocked down by a left hook midway through the first round.

Guerrero is a southpaw and that always presents a certain problem but Han was able to land the right hand. He seemed comfortable and unbothered by Guerrero.

My own opinion? I thought Han won rounds 1 through 6. In the sixth round Guerrero seemed to be tiring and was backing up for much of the round with some spurts of quick combinations. In round 7 he seemed to find his wind and than the real battle begin. Rounds 7 through 10 were hard fought and tough to score. Guerrero had several good moments throughout the last few rounds and did land some solid right hooks. Somewhere along this point Han stopped using the jab, or at least not as consistently. The Stubhub Arena at this point was about a quarter filled but the crowd that was there seemed to be behind Han.

When the fight was over and Guerrero won the split decision the crowd really booed the decision. They were angry. Like me they thought Han deserved the win. It was a close fight but Guerrero did come on in the later rounds. I just don't think it was enough. I'm not going to go so far as to say it was a robbery, it was just a close fight and this is how the judges decided. I had to hold my my wife back to keep her from going after the judges. She is now a certified Abie Han fan.

To Abie Han I would say, A loss is yesterday's news. It's over with. Shake it off and move on. No fighter ever became a world champion by dwelling on a loss and the past.

You can find the results from all the fights from Saturday night here.

LAX Crowne Plaza: Weigh-in with Abie Han and Louie Burke

Yesterday Jeri and I drove down to the Stubhub Center (formerly the Home Depot Center) in Carson to pick up our tickets for tonight's fights.between J.C. Chavez Jr. and Andrzej Fonfara. It will be nice seeing Chavez Jr. fight but the real reason we're going is to see Abraham "Abie" Han vs Fernando Guerrero. Han is trained by my cousin Louie Burke, so this is family.

After getting the tickets we drove to the LAX Crowne Plaza for the weigh-in and to spend some time with Louie. We had a chance to meet Abie. What a great young man. What my old late trainer, Mel Epstein, would call - a deserving guy!. We'll be rooting for him tonight. He looks to be in great shape, and confident.

We had lunch, took a walk and then we left so they could get back to the business at hand. Best of luck to Abie Han tonight!